8 Unique Gift Ideas

Even with the slew of frustrating technical difficulties I’m facing right now (ugh), I still wanted to share this post to give you some out-of-the-box Christmas ideas. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking… “Grace, you’re a total hypocrite, you just published a post a few weeks ago about why you don’t do gift guides!” To which I would respond, “Yes, you’re totally right.” Usually, I don’t share gift guides during the holiday season because I think it’s really hard to find the perfect gift for someone you know based on universal suggestions. This year, however, I brainstormed a few personalized gift ideas that might help combat that issue. But don’t worry, I am totally owning up to my hypocrisy right now! And without further ado, here’s a handful of (mostly) personalized gift ideas to get the juices flowing for your holiday shopping.

1. A Personalized Fathead.  For my graduation gift, my mom made me these three hilarious Fathead photos of me playing the three sports in which I participated during high school. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand Fathead, they make wall decals as well as other personalized projects. This makes such a fun and unique gift, and I feel like you can never go wrong with decorations. They weren’t even that hard to apply to the wall! You better hurry though—today is the last day to receive custom orders with standard shipping in time for Christmas. If you don’t make it in time, they have a variety of premade Fathead decals from some of your favorite sports teams and movies! You can shop custom Fatheads here.

2. Picture Puzzle. If you know someone who loves jigsaw puzzles (me!), then you can turn a favorite photo into your own personal puzzle. Lots of places offer this kind of service, such as Shutterfly, Walmart, Target, and anywhere else you can print photos.

3. Picture Snow Globe. Another cool way to incorporate a favorite photo of you and a bestie is to buy one of those snow globes that allows you to insert a picture inside. I know a few people who love to collect snow globes, and it’s just a really fun way to capture a memory in a snowy world. This really pretty one from Things Remembered is a music box as well and can be engraved, but there are less expensive options out there as well.

4. Shutterfly Photo Books. Since I was seven years old, my mom has made me a photo book as a birthday present each year to share memories from the previous year. Photo books are so special and personalized, and online programs like Shutterfly remove a lot of the hassle out of scrapbooking if you’re not particularly crafty. I even made a few for my friends with photos of us over the years as graduation presents. They almost always have some sort of promo going (today is another “Cyber Monday” deal), so you can start your project today by clicking here.

5. Alternative Photo Displays. There are so many cool ways to showcase your favorite memories with someone besides just a typical frame. This pretty hanging set of photos was a birthday gift more than 10 years ago (!) and my mom added pretty craft paper behind each photo to match my bedroom decor. Sadly, I couldn’t find similar glass beaded photo connectors, for lack of a better term, but there are still plenty of cool ways to print photos for a loved one and display them. Check out this $20 display from Amazon or this photo display with LED string lights. Even more options can be found here, and if you’re a little crafty, Pinterest has endless ideas!

6. Zuny Bookends. Okay, so this gift idea isn’t personalized, but it’s insanely cool! If you notice on my bookshelf, each cubicle has a stuffed animal bookend (an elephant, a polar bear, a beaver, a killer whale, a reindeer, a penguin, a donkey, a boar, and a sheep). I’ve been receiving one from “Santa” each year for the past 9 years, but I didn’t realize until two years ago that they’re designed to be bookends! I always thought they were just stuffed animals. What’s unique about Zuny’s products is the insane weight and luxe synthetic-leather material. You really don’t know how special they are until you hold one for yourself! Their products are on the pricier side, but you can surprise someone with their favorite animal as either a bookend or a paperweight—like I said, you can never go wrong with decorations! Shop Zuny products here.

7. Personalized Lego Photo. I am not ashamed to admit that I love Legos, so when I received this family photo to build, I was super excited! Even if you’re not a die-hard Lego fan, this still makes a unique gift—what’s even cooler is that you have to “interact” with it by building it yourself, like a puzzle. Mine was made at a really cool local shop called Bricknowlogy, which I highly recommend, but there are other places that offer similar services.

8. Potato Parcel. Okay, this gift is hilarious and a cool way to give back. I had never heard of Potato Parcel before, but for my birthday a friend sent one to me. Turns out, the business idea was presented on Shark Tank and now it’s very successful—you can send a potato in the mail to someone with a personalized message or photo. You can even choose between some potato pun messages to add (like on mine). The best part is that for each potato sold, one is donated to a food bank, and you’re encouraged to replant your potato to continue the fight against hunger. My tater parcel also came with a small bag of candy, and now they have holiday packages as well! Check out more tot-ally awesome potato gifts on Potato Parcel’s website.

I really enjoyed creating this post and brainstorming unique, personalized gifts to give to your loved ones this holiday season. How is your Christmas shopping going? I hope this post helps spark some ideas!

Miles of smiles,

Grace

Flannel Shirt: hand-me-down, originally from Abercrombie and Fitch // Dark Wash Skinny Jeans: JCPenney, $25 // Sparkly Headband: Nordstrom, $30 // Sparkly Bracelet: antique shopping in Snohomish, WA